Tag: essence

Packaging: It comes in a sturdy, pink glass bottle (100ml) with a cap that pulls off to reveal an airless pump to dispense the product. As with all of Missha’s MISA Geum Sul products, it features a pretty design on the cap that shimmers in the light. But the packaging for this product seems to differ depending on where you get it; on Missha’s official US website, the bottle is golden to clear at the bottom, whereas on Jolse, it is pink to clear and it also goes by the name “Gold Snow Giyun (Raise Luster) Essence.” I cross-checked ingredients just to be sure these products were the same thing (and they are).

Price: Its retail price is $50 USD from Missha US and $50 CAD from Missha CA, but I got it for the cheaper price of ~$35 USD from Jolse. Looking at the photo of the bottle turned upside down, you can see that one month’s usage hasn’t gotten me very far through the product, so I expect that it must last about three months’ worth. It is a lovely product, but it would hurt my wallet too much to buy it at retail price. Still, as a product that was heavily inspired by the expensiveSulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum EX, perhaps $50 isn’t so bad.

Consistency: It feels like a watery serum that spreads and absorbs easily; a little goes a long way. It feels very hydrating and moist upon application. I use three pumps for my entire face, but could easily use less if I wanted (I just love loading this stuff on my face!).

Scent: It smells similarly to Missha’s MISA Geum Sul Vitalizing Finisher – medicinal/herbal, but this product seems to have an additional “earthy” scent that I just can’t seem to pinpoint. The scent is somewhat strong upon application, but it does dissipate soon after it has absorbed.

Ingredients: Analyzing the ingredients on CosDNA and even Skincarisma didn’t seem to reflect the actual order of ingredients, so here is the full thing here:

This is of particular interest to those of who suffer from hyperpigmentation, or darkening of the skin, especially when we consider that ginseng shows up as many as four times in this product, with the first three being at the very top of the ingredient list. It also functions as a potent anti-inflammatory component, which is beneficial to those of us who deal with acne (!) by reducing redness and severity.

the anti-inflammatory property of G. lucidum [reishi mushroom]… may be a potential treatment option for the management of skin diseases with cutaneous sarcoidosis and inflammation in the future.

As for the interesting “pure gold” ingredient (which can be seen in many of my photos above), I could only find one study in 2015 that suggested it may address skin aging. Whether it actually does something or not in this product is debatable, but it does make the product look very elegant – that much is true.

People whose skin is sensitive to alcohol may not react well to this product, unfortunately. Alcohol shows up twice, with the first type (denat. – one of the harsher kinds) is the fourth ingredient. While this does make the product absorb better, no doubt, I personally wish there was less of it.

Other notable ingredients include:

Niacinamide – Brightening

Adenosine – Anti-aging

Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract – Brightening

Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract – Anti-inflammatory

Overall Review: Despite my wanting to steer clear of products with higher alcohol contents, I can’t help but love this product. Looking at my face photos above, it is clear that even within a short span of time, it has done my skin nothing but good. (Side note: That breakout in the first photo was caused by having McDonald’s – WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF?! Ah well, at least I can be assured my products are actually working…) On a day where my skin is drier, I simply mitigate the alcohol-drying issue by using more of my hydrating toners. I have used this product for a month as of now and I can only see the quality of my skin improving more and more with each use. 5/5.

Packaging: This product comes in a frosted plastic bottle (100ml) with a clear cap that pulls right off. It features an airless pump, making the product less susceptible to bacteria contamination and spillage. This is the most ideal way to have your products packaged, so that’s a 5/5 in this regard.

Price: $21 CAD from Chuusi or $19 USD from Jolse and Solo Glam. I’ve been using this product since January, 2x a day, and I’m only just half way through this product. In my opinion, this is worth every dollar due to how long it lasts and because it’s so efficient at what it does.

Consistency: As you can see from the photos above, this product has a thick viscosity that spreads very easily. Immediately after applying, it will feel sticky but as it sinks in, its finish leaves your skin feeling amazingly smooth and well hydrated.

Scent: Absolutely no scent! Perfect for those who are intolerant to fragrances in skincare products.

Ingredients: What makes this product so special is its main ingredient, snail mucin, at a whopping 96%. It has the highest concentration of snail mucin on the market right now, so you’d be hard pressed to find a better snail product than this one. Snail mucin is not only full of nutrients, but it also protects the skin against aging, it hydrates, heals, and most notably soothes the skin from sunburns and irritations. Looking at the photo above of my face, you can see that after only an hour and a half, my inflamed acne* already looks less red and angry. According to CosDNA, the only acne trigger is butylene glycol (solvent + moisturizer) while the only irritant is carbomer (viscosity control), both ingredients being very common in skincare products, so it is highly unlikely that you would have any issues with this product (unless, of course, you fall under the unlucky category of people who cannot tolerate snail mucin). Because of its simple ingredient list, I can (and often do) smear this product all over my face in multiple thick layers, and I don’t even have to worry about it clogging my pores or contributing to more acne!

Overall Review: My first interaction with this product is actually something right out of a love story. One day, my skin was angry at me because I had over-exfoliated it, which caused it to feel tight, become oily and overly dry with patches at the same time, and everything I normally used on my skin actually burned. Out of desperation, I found myself rummaging through a bunch of skincare samples I had received from my latest Jolse order, and I came across this product. I had remembered reading reviews about it and how it helped with all of these issues, so I decided to take the plunge and just smother it all over my face. I did not regret it. The very next day, every issue I had seemed to have dissipated like magic. I was instantly smitten and had to go and buy myself a full bottle of it (and of course we lived happily ever after).

But really, if you have normal skin with very little issues (esp. acne), this product may actually seem very underwhelming in your skincare routine, but I believe this product is a must-have for everybody. Sunburn? Snail mucin. Acne? Snail mucin. Random cut on your arm/leg/etc.? Snail. Worried about premature aging and wrinkles? Snail, snail, snail. With a product like this on hand, there is really very little for you to have to worry about. Move over, aloe vera, because snail mucin is making its way into all of our cabinets. 5/5.

* Spoiler alert! The breakout you see on my chin was due to something I ate. Read about the difference between a food-related acne trigger vs. a normal, hormonal breakout here.